Discours indirect : questions avec "si"

Reporting a question involves two main parts. First, you need a reporting verb. This is usually demander (to ask). It can also be vouloir savoir (to want to know). Second, you need the word si. This si acts like a glue. It sticks the reporting verb to the original question. In direct speech, we often use est-ce que. When we move to indirect speech, est-ce que disappears. It gets replaced by si. The word order stays normal. You don't need to flip verbs and subjects. Just say who is asking and then add si. It is like a grammar traffic light. Green means go straight with your sentence after si! No complicated turns or U-turns needed here. You are just reporting a fact about a question. It is one of the easiest ways to level up your French. You go from basic phrases to complex reporting quickly.

1. 1Building these sentences is a three-step process.
2. 2Start with your subject and a reporting verb. For example: Il demande (He asks).
3. 3Add the word si. This is your connector.
4. 4Add the rest of the original question in a normal sentence format.
5. 5Let's try one. Direct question: "Do you want coffee?" (Est-ce que tu veux un café ?). Indirect report: Il demande si tu veux un café. Notice that est-ce que is gone. The question mark is also gone. It is now a simple statement.
6. 6One special rule: si + il becomes s'il. Also, si + ils becomes s'ils. We love to shorten things in French! But watch out. Do not shorten si with elle. It stays si elle. Yes, even native speakers mess this up sometimes, so don't worry! Just remember that il is special. It likes to hug the si and lose a letter. Everyone else keeps their distance.

You will use this rule constantly in real life. Use it when you are ordering food for a group. "She is asking si the soup is vegetarian." Use it in a job interview. "I want to know si the office is in Paris." Use it when traveling. "He asks si the train is on time." It is perfect for any Yes/No situation. If the answer to the original question is "yes" or "no," use si. It makes you sound very polite. Instead of shouting questions, you are calmly reporting them. It is great for summarizing long conversations. You can tell your boss: "The client asked si the project is finished." It shows you are listening and can process information. It is a key tool for social interaction. You will use it with friends, family, and colleagues. It is the backbone of storytelling in French.

Don't use si for "Open" questions. These are questions starting with "Who," "What," "Where," or "Why." If the question is "Where is the station?" you don't use si. You keep the word "where" (où). For example: Il demande où est la gare. si is only for "Closed" questions. These are the ones where you can only answer "Yes" or "No." Think of it like a light switch. It is either on or off. If the question needs a long explanation, si isn't invited to the party. Also, don't use si in direct speech. You wouldn't say "If do you like pizza?" directly. That sounds silly! si belongs in the middle of a sentence. It needs a reporting verb to hold its hand. If there is no demander or savoir, you probably don't need si. Keep it for the reports.

The biggest mistake is keeping est-ce que. Many learners say: Il demande si est-ce que tu viens. This is a big no-no! It is like wearing two hats at once. Choose one! When reporting, si does all the work. Drop the est-ce que immediately. Another mistake is the s'elle error. Remember, si + elle stays si elle. No apostrophe there. Also, don't forget the reporting verb. You can't just start a sentence with si to report a question. You need that intro. Another funny mistake is using inversion after si. Don't say Il demande si viens-tu. Keep the order simple: si tu viens. It should feel like a normal, flat sentence. No drama, no flipping. Just a smooth ride from start to finish. If you feel like you are working too hard, you might be making a mistake. This rule is designed to be easy.

How does this compare to other reported speech? For "What" questions, we use ce que. Direct: "What are you doing?" Indirect: Il demande ce que tu fais. For "Where," we use où. Il demande où tu vas. si is unique because it replaces the entire "Do you..." or "Is it..." structure. In English, we sometimes use "whether." In French, we only have si. It covers both "if" and "whether" perfectly. Compared to direct speech, the tone is much softer. Direct speech can feel like an interrogation. Indirect speech feels like a conversation. It is the difference between "Are you busy?" and "I was wondering if you are busy." See the difference? One is a bit sharp. The other is smooth and elegant. That is why we love si questions. They add a touch of class to your French.